September 2022 Newsletter
2022 NSIAAA Fall Conference - Kearney Holiday Inn
November 5 - 7, 2022
Time is nearing for NSIAAA / NIAAA Members to prepare to attend the 2022 NSIAAA Fall Conference in Kearney. This year's conference runs from Saturday, November 5 thru the Fall Conference Luncheon on Monday, November 7.
Your 22-23 NSIAAA/NIAAA Dual membership covers the cost of the conference! Rooms at the Holiday Inn in Kearney are a a group rate of $109.95 per night. They can be reserved at this link: NSIAAA 2022 Fall Conference or by calling the Holiday Inn directly at 1-308-237-5971 - Be sure to tell them you are booking for the NSIAAA Fall Conference. Reservation block is open thru 10/4, so do NOT delay!
The NSIAAA Board has put together a great lineup of professional development opportunities for those attending to take part in, as well as many social and professional interactions and food galore! Here is what we have planned for those who attend:
Leadership Training Courses will be offered to those who register for them. Information from Certification Coordinator / President Elect Nate Larsen will be available shortly if you are interested in taking one or both of these courses
LTI 611: Athletic Administration: Concepts and Strategies for Interscholastic Marketing, Promotions and Fund-Raising (Saturday Nov. 5 - 3 to 7 PM) Instructors: Scott Garvis & Nate Larsen)
LTI 628: Athletic Administration: Mental Health and Wellness for Student Athlete (Sunday, Nov. 6 - 7:30 to 11:30 AM Instructors Todd Gordon & Aaron Stecker)
Great opportunity to get two higher level courses from National Instructors!
Two Different Panel Discussions, both with a purpose, at 10 AM on Sunday, Nov. 6: “What The Old Dogs Can Help YOU With” - Q & A With Retired AD’s - Steve Joekel, Steve Borer, Jack Guggenmos & Keith Muller
Emerging AD’s - Year’s 1 - 5 / Breakout Session - “Need Help? What Can We Suggest to Make Things Right! - NSIAAA Board Members: Lance Smith, Dr. JJ Toczek, Ryan Hogue, Kayla Fischer & Jeff Ellis
A full line-up of local and national vendors to visit with and learn about products they have to offer you for making things better in your departments and schools.
We have FOUR Nationally recognized speakers coming in to share with you their input and ideas to make you a better prepared AD!
Scott Gravis, CMAA, Todd Gordon, CMAA, and Aaron Stecker, CMAA
Presenters of “Beyond the Bench” - A podcast for AD’s!
Sharing a wealth of information to help you be better in your duties and make things better for you personally!
Dr. Jim Borchers or Dr. Chad Asplund from USCAH
One of these physicians will share their input on “The National Epidemic of Adolescent and High School Student Mental Health” & “Mental Health Emergency Action Planning & Programming”
Back for another round of “Current Legal Issues in HS Athletics” - Karen Haase, KSB School Law - Lincoln, NE ***A DO NOT MISS Presentation!***
Thanks to our special event sponsors, we will have socials on both Saturday and Sunday nights, as well as Sunday dinner at Alley Rose in Downtown Kearney.
Top Sunday Evening off with the NSIAAA Baggo Tournament, with part of the proceeds going back to the NIAN Committee’s charity of the the year - “The Make A Wish Foundation”
Make plans NOW to attend this year’s full of great content NSIAAA Fall Conference at the Kearney Holiday Inn, November 5-7, 2022!
What a GREAT FOUR DAYS!
Jack Tarr CMAA, New AD Mentoring Coordinator
We kicked off the new ADs year with a workshop on the Monday before the NCA Coaches Clinic. Five veteran ADs presented to 23 new ADs on topics that they would need to know about the first few weeks of their job and then continue to use throughout the year. Jordan Cudney (President) introduced them to the NSIAAA/NIAAA and the benefits that the organization gives them. He followed that by answering questions about the NSAA and the things that needed to be in July and August.
He was followed by Jack Tarr (New AD and Retired AD Coordinator) who then covered the mentoring program and explained the benefits of having mentors and their expertise. Jack also covered activity coverage, why they needed to be covered, getting help in covering and what is expected when covering.
Kayla Fisher (Board Member) talked about school checks and the who, what, when, where and how of making sure you are ready for contests and what was needed before and during contests. It takes time and planning to make sure your contest runs smoothly.
Steve Borer (retired AD) covered the importance of early fall meetings: coaches, players, parents, boosters and what needed to be covered at these meetings.
JJ Toczek (President Elect) covered Emergency Action Plans and how important they are to have. He also stressed making sure all parties that need them have them before the season starts.
Jenny Wagner (Treasure/Secretary) covered concussion education, what to do if it happens and making sure all policies and procedures are followed correctly. Taking athletes out of the contests if there is any question about a concussion and making sure all steps are followed in the recovery. Jenny then went over on-site prep and how to make sure you are getting the school/ fields/courses ready for contests. This is one of the largest parts of our jobs and one of the more important ones as everyone sees the school players and how well things are run.
Lance Smith (Website/media Coordinator) finished up with the importance of communication. He covered social media, internal and media communication. Be careful and complete and prepare your coaches, players and teachers on how to handle communication and social media.
The twenty-three new ADs had great questions and hopefully left with lots of handouts, new information and less worry about the first couple of months!
The next two days were days for continued learning. LTI classes 501 and 502 were offered to the new ADs free and to any veteran ADs for a small charge. These two classes introduced in greater detail the NSIAAA/NIAAA and the world of being an AD. For eight plus hours, presentations, activities, discussion and presenting took place. Bill Fitzgerald and Jack Tarr led 501 and Nate Larsen and Jack Tarr led 502. By taking these classes, these ADs were well on their way to earning certification in becoming a CAA (Certified Athletic Administrator) and were given valuable information on how to do their job and new career choice. Through a grant the NSIAAA was also able to offer 503 to new ADs in an online class and allow them to continue to gather more information and guidance in their job. It was a fun and exciting two days. All three instructors said it was two of the best 501and 502 classes that they had taught.
Thursday was followed up by the starting of the 22-23 NSIAAA Cohort. Seventeen ADs, a mixture of both veteran and new ADs, will be taking part in the 2022-23 NSIAAA Cohort and learning how to be better ADs. There will be national speakers, book reading, zoom meetings to present this information. A lot of discussion took place along with activities, networking and learning on the last day of the meetings.
What a great start to hopefully an exciting and great year. Thank you to all who attended, taught, presented and took part in this clinic.
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Retired ADs Update
Jack Tarr CMAA, Retired AD Coordinator
The NSIAAA is trying to get retired ADs a way to give back to our new and working ADs. This program is used to use the expertise of our retired ADs to help with advice and service to working and new ADs. We are contacting retired ADs and asking them to give their time when they have time to do so and stay involved with our organization. Places where retired ADs can help are: helping at the November clinic with registration, visiting with ADs as they come in and at the social events and serving as presenters, serving on the scholarship committee during the March meeting and banquet, teaching LTI classes throughout the year and at the clinic is a big need as we have only a few qualified teachers at this time in the NSIAAA. Retired ADs served on our strategic Plan committee which we just finished and have and hopefully will help with our Cheer and Dance Contests and continue to help as Sportsmanship evaluators at state competition. We currently have 22 retired ADs who have joined the NSIAAA/NIAAA but you can still join. It is only $30 to become a member and if you would like to have the life insurance benefit that is another $12.50. Contact Marc Mroczek at marc.mroczek@goswedes.org. We are looking forward to seeing many of you this year.
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Emerging AD Award
Jack Tarr CMAA, New AD Coordinator
As you work with many of our new and recently new ADs, think about how they are growing and becoming better ADs. We have started a new program, and along with mentoring each of our new ADs we want to honor one of them each year for the growth that they have made. As a mentor or working AD, if you see an AD who deserves to be recognised send their name to your district representative. The criteria for their growth is: 1) they must be in years 1-5, 2) involvement in conference, district, state and/or national level, and 3) attendance at state and/or national clinics and conventions. You as a working AD, see these new ADs working daily and are working with them. Take time to nominate them for this award if they are deserving and show your appreciation for the work that they do. We have great new members and we need to tell them that. These nominations are due by the 15th of December, so contact your district representative, Bill Fitzgerald (Executive Director) at billfitz54@gmail.com or myself Jack Tarr (New AD Coordinator) at jtarr55@gmail.com with them.
AD Spotlight - Rob Psencik - Lincoln Northwest
My Name is Rob Psencik, and I am the Activity Director for Lincoln Northwest High School. I grew up in Houston, TX, and graduated from Concordia University, where I played both football and baseball. I am starting my 25th year in education. I have bounced back and forth between Texas and Nebraska over the last 25 years. After college, I moved back to Texas and taught for 3 years at Lutheran High North before taking a job back at Concordia, where I was Assistant Athletic Director overseeing athletic recruitment and assistant baseball coach. At Concordia, I received my Master's Degree in Administration. In 2006 I moved back to Houston to become Athletic Director at Lutheran South Academy, where I spent the next 15 years overseeing and helping build the Pioneers Athletic Department. In 2021 my wife Sheila and I moved back to Nebraska as I took the job at Lincoln Northwest. My wife and I have 3 kids Grace, Beau and Lily. My oldest daughter Grace works at Concordia in the admission office, my son is an RS Freshman Running Back at Nebraska, and my youngest daughter plays volleyball at Concordia.
Education-based athletics play a huge role in the development of our students. There are several reasons that athletics or even activity assist in preparing our students for the future. As an Athletic Director, I have constantly challenged my student to be involved. Being involved, I believe, helps our students prepare for their future in the real world; it increases GPAs, provides time management skills, supports life skills, teaches teamwork and collaboration, promotes leadership skills, and can help build community spirit.
Opening a new school has excitement all around it but also challenges around it at the same time. Over the last year, it has been a process starting with naming a mascot, deciding on school colors, hiring coaches, enrollment, and ordering uniforms and equipment. Opening a new school during Covid or even post-Covid has had its challenges with the global supply chain issues. We have been juggling a lot of different issues this fall as our facilities aren't entirely finished. It has been really rewarding to watch our coaches and athletes adapt and stay flexible to the many challenges. Every day seems to bring a new challenge we must face and adapt to. The Falcons are focused on building on the small victories this year and creating a culture and foundation for the coming years.
NIAAA National Athletic Directors Conference
Nashville, TN - December 9-13, 2022
Bill Fitzgerald, CMAA - NSIAAA Executive Director
There has never been a better time to attend the NIAAA NADC (National Athletic Directors Conference), to be held December 9-13, 2022 in Nashville TN. The Gaylord Opryland Resort will be the host location for this year’s conference, and it is guaranteed not to disappoint!
There are many exciting things to do in Nashville during the evening, but this conference provides yearly the best professional development opportunities for athletic administrators!
Every year, EVERY LTI Course is offered at the conference during different four time periods. If you are working toward your CAA or CMAA certification, this is an ideal thing to do when attending!
The massive vendor hall is full of sporting goods and athletic related dealers to gather information from as well as talk to about projects. If you are putting new facilities together, this is a great location to see who might be able to help you out.
Opening Session and Closing Session have excellent national speakers with great messages to inspire you to be your best. You don’t want to miss these if you are attending.
Five General Sessions are intermittent within the conference schedule, providing you topics of interest and opportunities to interact with other athletic directors from across the country. Oftentimes these conversations lead to great idea sharing and lifelong friendships being developed.
NIAAA Committees all meet during this conference, and a bulk of the business for those groups takes place during the committee's time together. The camaraderie in these groups can lead to great sharing opportunities and developing a network of resources from across the nation.
Section Meetings are a great chance to meet fellow AD’s from your region, and work together to develop opportunities for members. The idea of a Section V LTI Institute started with a conversation at one of these meetings, and it will become a reality in June of 2023.
The NFHS Luncheon and NIAAA Awards Banquet offer you a meal at each and an opportunity to honor AD’s from across the nation for their service. One of our very own - Jack Tarr, CMAA will be honored at the NFHS Luncheon this year with one of eight NFHS Citation Awards given annually for service and commitment to activities in education.
The NIAAA Delegate Assembly is the voting arm of the membership and will meet in Nashville. They will listen to business of the NIAAA as well as vote on new agenda items in the NIAAA Constitution. Each state is allotted delegate based on membership, which is one of the reasons we strive to increase our membership to gain more delegates.
If you have never attended an NADC Conference, you should really try to do so at least once. It will give you a broader perspective of the organization as well as how you can improve your skills in doing your work for your district!
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National Executive Directors Conference (NEDC) - Summer Meeting
Bill Fitzgerald, CMAA - NSIAAA Executive Director
As Executive Director of the NSIAAA, I am thankful that the NSIAAA Board of Directors allows me to attend the yearly NEDC Summer Meeting. This past summer, I was able to attend the four day meetings in Lynnwood, WA, just outside of Seattle.
Having about 45 of the 51 State Executive Directors as well as NIAAA National Staff all in one place is a great opportunity to share ideas, compare notes, and help each other find quality programming for state conferences, LTI class offerings, and sponsorship opportunities. We were hosted by many of these sponsors, some of whom are current sponsors of the NSIAAA. We hope to add a few more from this opportunity to discuss products and what they have to offer..
If spouses attended, they had a couple of days filled with local activities, and we all joined together for an evening event and meal. Getting to see some of Washington State's beautiful scenery as well as the Boeing Factory that few get to tour were great opportunities and fun to gather while catching up on each other’s lives..
I look forward to representing the NSIAAA and attending next summer’s meetings in Traverse City, MI July 23-27, 2023.
2022-2023 NSIAAA Membership
Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year! As the beginning of the school year starts, there are many items to complete during our busy times. One of the most important items to give your full attention to is your Nebraska State Interscholastic Athletic Administrator Association membership.
The 2022-2023 NSIAAA membership will allow you to be a dual member of the NSIAAA and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administration Association (NIAAA). The cost of the dual membership is $250, which includes $2 million in liability insurance while on the job along with up to $7,500 in term life insurance coverage through the NSIAAA and NIAAA. It is also important to know that your dual membership will serve as your registration for the Fall Conference at Kearney in November and the Spring Banquet on March 7, 2023, in Lincoln.
The membership of the NSIAAA has exceeded over 200 athletic administrators in recent years. Last year, we had our record year of 228 members. Our goal as the NSIAAA Board of Directors is to exceed that number and strive to have a 100% enrollment rate for the 2022-2023 school year. We need your commitment to our state organization and highly encourage you to promote the NSIAAA to your colleagues who may not be aware of the association and the great benefits that are part of the annual membership. If you have not submitted your membership application, you can register on the NSIAAA website https://www.nsiaaa.org/. Please make sure to electronically sign all your forms on the registration site. For payment, you are able to pay with a credit card or you can send a check to me made payable to the NSIAAA.
This year’s NIAAA National Convention will be held in Nashville, Tennessee, from December 9-13, 2022. Registration for this convention is currently open through the NIAAA website https://www.adconference.org/. Current members of the NSIAAA and NIAAA are able to register using their current membership ID and information. If you are a new member this year to the NSIAAA and NIAAA and need assistance, please contact Marc Mroczek at marc.mroczek@goswedes.org.
If you have any questions regarding your membership, please contact me. I look forward to receiving your membership and payment, and we will see you at the Fall Conference in November.
Marc Mroczek
Activities Director
Gothenburg High School
NSIAAA Membership Coordinator
AD Spotlight - Ryun Theobald - Fillmore Central
My name is Ryun Theobald and I have been in the education realm for the past 26 years. I spent the first 14 years of my career teaching and coaching in the Cedar Rapids, Wilber-Clatonia and Norris school districts. I then transitioned into the administrative world and spent the next 6 years serving as the K-12 Principal/Activities Director at Sterling Public Schools. The past 6 years I have been serving the Fillmore Central district as 9-12 principal and 7-12 activities director. I am married to my wife Kim, who is beginning her second year at Fillmore Central, after spending the previous 20 years teaching science at Wilber-Clatonia. We have 4 boys. Keegan is a senior, Kiffin is a sophomore, Koen is a seventh grader and Kash is a first grader. With 4 active boys, we spend the majority of our time following and supporting our kids in their activities, as well as the kids at Fillmore Central.
I feel very fortunate to be in my current role where I get to work with kids and adults in both the academic side of education as well as the athletic/activities side. I am a firm believer that students who get involved in activities are extremely well prepared for the next steps in life after high school. Athletics and activities teach so many invaluable skills, like team work, work ethic, perseverance, humility, sportsmanship, etc. The dual role of principal and AD can be challenging at times, but I do get to see kids grow and become successful on both halves of education, and this is very rewarding.
The 2022-23 school year is off to a great start and we at Fillmore Central are excited that everything in the athletic/activity world is back to as close to normal as possible. We are happy that we have numerous opportunities for our kids to compete and are excited for a great year. GO FC!!!
NSIAAA President Newsletter
Hello members of the NSIAAA!!
We are off and running with the 2022-2023 school year and we are all “knee deep” in the myriad of fall activities that each of our member schools participates in! This is an exciting time of year for all the students, staff, parents, and community members. It is my hope that each one of you has had a great start to the year and is enjoying and celebrating the great things that are taking place in your district!
I want to share with you an acronym that we are using with our students and staff in order to set a vision and rallying point for us here at Hershey for the school year. The acronym is I-M-P-A-C-T and stands for Intentional - Meaningful - Process - Accountable - Consistent - Tough.
Intentional: To be intentional is to make the most of each day we have, regardless of the circumstances around us. The reality is that we have a limited window for impact when it comes to the students and staff we serve and we want to make the most of the time we have with them.
Meaningful: We have the great pleasure of working to make our students and staff experiences GREAT in our role of activities directors. The ultimate goal should be to have students remember being a part of our programs and that it was a memorable experience!
Process: One reminder for our students and staff is that it is about the journey throughout the course of the season and that we should work to be better at the end of the season rather than the beginning of the season!! This allows for our coaches and students to focus on the process of getting better throughout the course of the season instead of focusing on the rollercoaster of winning and losing during the course of the season.
Accountable: We all want to strive for high standards within our schools and activities programs, but the key is having processes in place that help to keep all stakeholders “holding the line” and taking personal responsibility for the role they play in the success of our respective programs.
Consistent: One of the important things we need to remember in our profession is to minimize the highs and lows and stay on the steady course. In the age of information, it is important to not chase the newest ideas or thoughts, but to stay true to yourself and your activities philosophy you have developed and set in place for yourself.
Tough: One hallmark we all want our programs to embody is to be mentally and physically tough. It has been said that mental is to physical as 4 is to 1. May we take time to work on the mental toughness of the students and staff we serve so that we stay the course and maintain the above attributes regardless of the way the season goes.
Here is to a great 2022-2023 school year and I look forward to seeing many of you at the 2022 NSIAAA Fall Sports Conference in Kearney Nebraska on November 5th - 7th!!!
Jordan Cudney
NSIAAA President
Hershey HS
The NSIAAA & NIAAA - Working For YOU!!!
Bill Fitzgerald, CMAA
NSIAAA Executive Director
Summer has come and gone, and the new 22-23 school year is in full swing. The NSIAAA Board hopes your school year is off to a good start and that you are having a great year to date! Each year is different, but at the same time similar to previous. If you have been doing the work of an activities director for some time, it seems like a repeat of what you did before, with a few tweaks. If you are new to the job as a whole, it can be somewhat overwhelming, time consuming, and downright long! It will slow down and get easier as you get used to the job, but you may need to call on others for help and suggestions.
That is one of the reasons that being a member of the NSIAAA/NIAAA – YOUR professional organization – is so important to all AD’s! We are an organization of support systems and professional growth opportunities for you to use and absorb. We are here to serve you, as is the national organization!
As a Nebraska State AD’s, I would encourage you all to do the following this year:
Renew or Join the NSIAAA/NIAAA Dual Membership (Thank You to all that have already renewed or joined!) The benefits are many to you and your professional organizations at the state and national level are there to help serve you in your duties!
Part of your membership is registration to both of these great events:
The NSIAAA Fall Conference in Kearney (November 5-7, 2022, at the Kearney Holiday Inn)
NSIAAA Spring Awards Banquet in Lincoln (Sunday March 7, 2023, at Wilderness Ridge GC).
Some of the best professional growth you can be part of at our state level for your specific duties as an AD happens at these two events, which are INCLUDED in your NSIAAA / NIAAA Membership.
Here is the link for the NSIAAA Fall Conference - TENTATIVE SCHEDULE This will be updated as changes are made. We are bringing in four national speakers, all of whom will share valuable and pertinent information with you!
We are excited to have several guest speakers at the NSIAAA Fall Conference including:
Scott Garvis, CMAA, Todd Gordon, CMAA, and Aaron Stecker, CMAA - The “Beyond the Bench AD’s” will be here with tips and advice to put you in a better position to do your job!
The USCAH – The United States Council for Athletes Health – Dr. Jim Borchers or Dr. Chad Asplund from USCAH will be presenting on important mental health issues for athletes, coaches, and yourself. This is an area that the NIAAA has teamed with the USCAH to provide for you as an AD the free training and support to use in your program.
The link to the Holiday Inn in Kearney for rooms is NOW OPEN!
You can reserve your room at this link: NSIAAA 2022 Fall Conference
Or call the Holiday Inn desk directly at 1-308-237-5971
The booking block for our room rate of $109.95 per night (NSIAAA Fall Conference) will be open thru October 4, 2022, so get this reservation made soon if you plan on attending!
Take part in an LTI Course that is offered at this years NSIAAA Fall Conference. Two higher level classes that can be used toward CMAA Certification will be taught:
LTI 611: Athletic Administration: Concepts and Strategies for Interscholastic Marketing, Promotions and Fund-Raising – Sat. Nov. 5, 2022 - 3 to 7 PM
LTI 628: Athletic Administration: Mental Health and Wellness for Student Athlete – Sun. Nov. 6. 2022 – 7:30 to 11:30 AM
Information about signing up for these courses will be coming out soon from Nate Larsen, NSIAAA Certification Chairman and President Elect.
The NIAAA Professional Development Program is designed to help any AD better themselves and improve their skills & knowledge. Courses are offered on-line during various times of the year, and ALL courses are available each year at the National Conference. Beginning courses are generally offered at the State Association Level. This link is a guide to what is offered in each Leadership Training Course: NIAAA Professional Development Program
A great opportunity awaits all NSIAAA members in early June of next year – the NIAAA Section V Certification Chairs have developed for all members in our six-state area (and any other NIAAA member who wants to be involved) to take part in the
1st Annual NIAAA Section V LTI Institute: June 11 – 13, 2023 in Omaha.
This is a chance to take several LTI Classes not generally offered in our area all at once! Three days of classes with an afternoon or morning off to do things in the Omaha area with family – great three day getaway for the family!
There will also be a CAA Exam Study Session and a CAA Exam opportunity for those looking to get your certification!
If you are at one of our clinics, at a ballgame, or at any meeting – take time to TALK to your fellow AD’s, whether it is job related, you have a question about how to do something, or just to visit and get to know each other. We all have a wealth of information and knowledge to share. Our socials are a great time to learn something new!
We are committed to making you ready for your duties as AD’s by providing professional growth & training Your NSIAAA Board of Directors is ready to help you to make the best AD you can be! As always, you can contact a current NSIAAA Board Member if you need help with anything!
Resources that Inspire
Nate Larsen - NSIAAA President Elect
Logan View Jr. / Sr. HS
By now some of the excitement of a new school year has probably worn off and little bit & you have likely settled into some sort of a routine. I’d like to share a few things with you from some of my recent experiences in my own school, through the NIAAA, & books that I have read, that I hope will be helpful to you.
“The best leaders are servant leaders. Focus on serving the people you have the privilege to lead.” What needs to be done & how can you help do it? Who on your staff needs help, or a kind word & how can you offer it? In May, I talked about the power of a compliment & a handwritten note. I hope you were able to use that strategy to make connections with your team members & continue to see value in doing so. Be the person that people count on to get things done & know will be there for them when they need it!
Catch champions. Shine a light on the behaviors you want to see by making celebration & recognition a part of your team’s culture. Our culture is defined by how we do things…or don’t. Let kids & staff members know when you see something great from them & make sure others see you celebrating their greatness!
As leaders, sometimes we have to deal with upset &/or irrational people. When our impulse gets the best of us & we “react” it can make the situation worse. That often results in raising our voice & possibly saying something emotional, irrational, or hurtful to ourselves; none of which will make the situation better. When we take the time to correctly “respond” we pause before saying something we can’t take back, we are calm & coherent, we articulate the problem with the behavior as well as a logical resolution. While it is easy to see the correct option to choose, choosing that option isn’t always easy at the moment. This is a skill that requires a great deal of discipline on our part as leaders.
I know I have been frustrated at times when I have communicated something, but the message clearly wasn’t received. Then I saw a quote that caused me to reflect, “Communication is like a passing train.” If the message wasn’t received, I didn’t communicate it well enough in the first place. Perhaps the message needed to be delivered multiple times, like the cars of the passing train. Perhaps a different format was needed. Regardless of the situation, it is our job as leaders to make sure the message is not just sent, but also received.
I hope that some of these things will be helpful for you as they have been for me. I look forward to seeing everyone at our fall conference in Kearney November 5-7. Best of luck to all of you as you continue to support your fall sports & activities!
Certification & The Benefits
Nate Larsen - NSIAAA LTI & Certification Coordinator
Logan View Jr. / Sr. HS
We were fortunate to have an NIAAA Outreach Grant last summer. As a result, we had 17 ADs take LTI 501 – Guiding Foundations & Philosophies, & 18 ADs take LTI 502 – Strategies for Organizational Management at the NCA Clinic in July. All those individuals who were 1st year ADs in that group also got LTI 503 – Enhancing Organizational Management online for free following the clinic. That allows everyone in that group to apply for their RAA certification, the first step on the way to CAA or CMAA certifications.
For those of you who are still working on earning a certification or just planning for the fall conference in Kearney, we will be offering LTI 611 – Athletic Administration: Concepts & Strategies for Interscholastic Fundraising, Marketing, Promotions & Booster Clubs, & LTI 628 – Athletic Administration: Mental Health & Wellness for Student Athletes. We will also be offering the CAA exam during the fall conference on Sunday at 2:00PM. If you are unsure whether you have met the requirements to sit for the exam you can look on the NIAAA portal or contact me for assistance. If you plan to take the CAA exam, you will need to register in advance through the NIAAA portal & let me know. Let’s keep those certification numbers growing!
I just returned from the NIAAA State Coordinators Summit in Indianapolis. Working with some of our other Section V state coordinators, we were able to get a summer LTI Institute scheduled in conjunction with our section V meetings in Omaha. The Institute will take place Monday through Wednesday, June 12-14. We will be offering 4 classes Monday morning with section meetings Monday afternoon. Tuesday will have section meetings in the morning followed by 4 more classes in the afternoon & then a study session for the CAA exam. Wednesday will have 4 more classes in the morning followed by the CAA exam. This will be a great opportunity to take some classes from the people who wrote them &/or national faculty members. It will be the best opportunity for professional learning outside of the national conference!
We are always searching for creative ways to offer LTI courses for our membership. Look for a leadership/coaching clinic in Fremont in the spring. The date is still TBD, but details will be available at the state wrestling & basketball tournaments. Beyond that, if you have a particular course that is of interest to you, find a few colleagues that share your interest. I'm happy to travel to teach a course if we have at least 4 people taking it.
If you are looking for some other options to take classes, the fall webinars are a great option. The graphic below shows what is available in the month of October.
AD Spotlight - Eric Behrens - Omaha Westview
I am the assistant principal / athletic director at Omaha Westview High School. I am a former teacher and coach at Omaha Central High. My wife Trisha and I have two children named Raina and Roman. I am a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Omaha for both my undergraduate and graduate degrees.
I believe that athletics can be a valuable tool in a student's educational experience. Athletics teaches teamwork, perseverance, determination and many other life lessons that can lead to a more well rounded person. Education based athletics can provide learning opportunities in the classroom and as a part of a school sports team.
Westview is a first year high school so everything is exciting right now. Our teams are competing in our initial fall sports seasons and our athletes, parents, staff and school community are thrilled to be a part of this experience. We are only 9th and 10th graders this year and the opportunity for these students to play at the varsity level will provide valuable lessons and many great memories for our young athletes.
AD Spotlight - Rob Locken - Omaha Central
My name is Rob Locken, I am originally from the Omaha area. I grew up on an acreage and attended Fort Calhoun Community Schools. I received my undergraduate degree from Midland Lutheran College in December 1997. My master’s degree in administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2006. I have four classes left to complete my Ed.S with the University of Nebraska at Kearney. I accepted my first teaching position was in Wiley, Colorado from 1998-2001. I was the prek-12 physical education instructor and the head football and baseball coach along with the assistant basketball coach. I then moved back to the Omaha area where I taught 7th and 8th grade physical education at Bryan Middle School from 2001 through 2006 coaching middle school track at BMS and was a Varsity football assistant at South. I transferred to Omaha Central High to teach weight training and serve as an assistant track coach from 2006 through 2010. After 12 years in the classroom, I decided it was time to jump into administration. I transferred to Bryan High as a Dean of Students, assistant athletic director, and Head Track Coach from 2010-2012. I moved down the hallway in 2012 to serve as Assistant Principal/Athletic Director at Bryan High until 2019. In 2019 I had the opportunity to take a unilateral transfer to become the Assistant Principal/Athletic Director at Central. This is my 11th year as an Assistant Principal/Athletic Director and 25th year in education. I met my wife in 2001 at Bryan Middle, she taught social studies at the time. She is currently working as the Director of Accountability for the Nebraska Department of Education. We have been married for 16 years and she is very supportive of the work I do. We have two children; Claire is a 9th grade student and William is a 7th grade student.
Athletics and Activities are an integral part of the high school educational experience. I really enjoy seeing our student-athletes develop over their high school years in athletics and activities, building confidence and taking leadership roles along the way. Watching student-athletes from different socio-economic backgrounds and various cultural backgrounds come together for a team or activity to achieve a common goal is very gratifying to see every season. A student’s learning experience is often an individualized process, but on the field, court, course, stage, or auditorium it is about a group performance.
At Central High we had an exciting kick off to our Fall sports season. Before the start of the first football game, we had the unveiling of the Gale Sayers statue. This was an event that brought together alumni, community members of many different generations along with engaging our current and future students during the home football game. It was a celebration of a student-athlete that used his time at Central High School to springboard to bigger accomplishments and the rare air of playing in the NFL. The statue unveiling marked a time to celebrate an incredible alumnus who set a great example for current and future student-athletes at Central.
